Central Railway plans Mumbai-Nashik ‘local’, trial in ghat section

The trains, with automatic door closure system, will operate between Kalyan and Nashik Road if trials in the t...Read More

MUMBAI: Soon, passengers from Mumbai region will be able to take EMU (Electrical Multiple Unit) train to Nashik if a Central Railway plan passes muster. The trains, with automatic door closure system, will operate between Kalyan and Nashik Road if trials in the the steep ghat section are successful. The Research, Standards and Designs Organisation (RDSO) has said EMU services can be operated to Nashik provided several steps are taken to prevent accidents in the ghat section. A CR official said, “RDSO has said EMU trains should run only with automatic door closure system with proper ventilation. It also said EMUs should have more braking power than the ones used in the suburban section at present.” Subsequently, the CR has asked the Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai for a special EMU rake with adequate braking power—to ensure train remains steady after brake is applied on the incline. “We want to ensure the rake does not roll done when the train is stopped on an incline,” an official said, adding that the rake is expected to be delivered after three months after which trials will be carried out. Even for long-distance trains, an engine is attached at the rear to give additional pushing power while negotiating the ghat section. However, RDSO said EMUs have enough power to pull the rake through the ghat. The official said, “The EMU rake is wider so we have to check that it does not infringe or brush with tunnel. The trial will help establish if EMU service is possible.”

Nashik MP Hemant Godse had that the Railways has been asking railways to start the EMU service. Spread over 465 kilometres, Mumbai’s suburban railway network operates 2,342 train services and carries more than 75 lakh commuters on a daily basis. By annual ridership (2.64 billion), the Mumbai suburban railway network is among the busiest commuter rail systems in the world.